Method of making turned shoes



Jan. 13, 1931. H. G. L-UMBARD 4 .METHOD OF MAKING TURNED SHOES Filed May 5; 1950 2 sheets-sheep 1 H 6'. LuJnba/rd,

Jan. 13, 1931. LUMBARD 7 1,789,046

METHOD OF MAKING TURNED SHOES Filed May 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuwntoz I [2. G.Lwmbard,

Patented Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES HENRY G. LUMBARD, F AUBURN, MAINE METHOD MAKING TURNED SHOES Application filed May 5, 1930. Serial No. 449,878;

This invention relates to improvements in the production of turn shoes. In the manufacture of shoes of this type it has been custernary to initially form the shoe inside or wrong-side-out, on what is termed the first last; subsequently turn the shoe; and relast it on what is known in the art as the second last.

- ()ne method in use at the present time uses two lasts of the same size and shape for the first and second last, there being no difierence whatever between the first last and the second last. In practically all other prior methods of producing these shoes the shape of the finished shoe has been-determined solely and entirely by the second last. In some types of manufacture the first last is somewhat smaller and of a different shape from the second last, the difference in the size of the two lasts being an attempt to take care of the change caused by turning the shoe when taken off the first last and placed on the second last. In some other prior methods, the second last is the same as the first last except for being a half size smaller or, in some instances, a width narrower. In this method the first and second last resemble one another somewhat in cross section, but not exactly. In still other prior instances the two lasts are entirely different in cross sectional contour. At all events, it is believed these various processes have each been open to one or more objections. For instance, when two lasts supposedly alike, except that the first last is one-half size smaller than the second, are used, not only is an excessive quantity of material used in making the shoe, but after the shoe has been re-lasted on the second last, it is then necessary to iron with a hot iron and shrink the leather upper to the second last. This having been done, the lining, which is on the inside, is larger than the leather upper and as a consequence it wrinkles and utterly fails to hold the shoe in shape after it is used by the wearer. This condition is aggravated and made even worse when the first last is exactly the same as the second last, because of the looseness of the upper and the necessity of excessive ironing to shrink the leather to the second last. If, however,

the leather is notshunk to the last, the upper is loose on the second last, and, therefore, results in a shoe that does not conform to the shape of the second last.

Again the first last in these prior methods does not effectively shape the shoe when it is wrong-side-out and is sufficiently different from the second last in shape as to preclude preparing the design of the finished shoe on the first last.

In view of the foregoing, the present invention seeks to produce turn shoes by means which will eliminate these various features and particularly avoid distortion of the upper and prevent loose linings and eliminate the step after re-lasting Where the shoe is ironed for the purpose of shrinking the leather to such an extent that the difi'erence between the lining and the shrunk leather is so great that it is impossible for the lining to '70 hold the shoe in shape after it is worn. In accomplishing this result it is proposed to utilize first and second lasts that are counterparts of each other, except for adjustments present in one to take care of what actually takes place when the shoe is first lasted wrong-side-out, then turned and relasted. In other words, adjustments are made for the difference in the size of the interior of the shoe before and after turning and to. take care of the materials that are placed in the heel portion of the shoe during the production thereof. These adjustments are embodied in the last on the bottom surface thereof, and as a result one last is deeper than the as other; the uppers of the two lasts being identical in cross sectional contour down to the point on the deeper last corresponding to the depth of the shallower or thinner last. This being true, the curve or form of the first last 9 is the same as the second last. Consequently, the pattern for the finished shoe can be made 'on the first last with the absolute assurance that it will make a neat fit on the second last.

In the accompanying drawings,- Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of my second last;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of what is termed the intermediate last, the view being made for the purpose of more clearly disclosing the difference between the first and second lasts used in-the manufacture of shoes according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a first last;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the first last with a shoe sole and a ortion of the upper materials wrong or insi e-o'ut, attached;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the second last inserted in the turned shoe with the upper materials 11 are attached to the first last 12, the

sole and upper being in temper and, of course,

, wrong-side-ou't or,in-side-out'. Subsequently,

after stitching the sole and upper together, the partially formed shoe is removed from the first last, turned and placed on the secondlastl3. The lining, upper, tuck, counter and shank, or whatever material is used to manufacture the shoe, maybe attached to the heel portion of the sole before turnin or, if desired, after turning. These parts that are attached to the heel portion are not shown individually or in detail, but their combined thickness is indicated at 14 by the shadedportion of Fi 5.

In its broa est aspect, the invention consists in providing a first last and a second last of greater depth at its forward portion than the first last, the difference in depth being equal to the thickness of the sole used in the shoe plus an amount that will allow the upper material of the shoe to shrink and set to shape on the second last. Where the materials, such as the lining, upper, tuck, counter and shank used at the rear portion ofthe shoe correspond in thickness to this difference in depth of the forward portions of the two lasts, then the two lasts are of the same depth at their rear portions. The two last-s are also of like cross sectional contour.

The lasts can, of course, be produced in various ways, one last being designed or produced first and the other designed therefrom, due allowance being made for the factors above mentioned in designing said other last.

In the present instance, however, they will be described as being produced by forming the second last 13 and removing from the bottom thereof, throughout its entire length, material substantially equal to the thickness of the'sole to be placed on the shoe, the slight amount of material removed in excess of the thickness of the sole being such that a lining shaped on the forward portion of this re-.

duced last will fit neatly on the corresponding portion of the larger last. This forms what is termed the-intermediate last 15, the extent of the material thus removed being indicated by the dotted line 16in Fig. 2. Theamount of material replaced substantially corresponding in thickness to the combined g thicknesses of the materials used in building up the heel ortion of the finished shoe. That is, the thic'ness of the lining, counter,'tuck and shank or other materials that are to be used in making the shoe, being known,

there is replaced on the heel portion of theintermediate last 15 material corresponding to the combined thicknesses of those parts.

This material added to the intermediate lastisindicated by that area enclosed with n the. dotted line 17 and the last bottom in Fig.3

from which it will be noted that the material tapers oif toward the arch or forward port-ion of the last. This last produced by adding the material indicated by line 17 gives the first last illustrated in Fig. 3. Of course, it might be said that the first and second lasts could be produced by first forming two intermediate lasts and adding to one, material slightly in excess of the thickness of the sole of the shoe and adding to the heel portion of the other, the material indicated by line .17 of Fig. 3. H

When the lasts are producedin the fashion described, the removal of material from the bottom of one last causes the last of reduced depth, which is to be used at the first last, to be shorter than the last of greater-depth due to the curvature of the upper surface of the toe of the lasts. It is, however, desirable to have the two lasts of substantially the same stick measure along their bottom surfaces. There may be a slight difference but they should so nearly correspond as to afford proper support for'the sole at the toe while vthe upper is being stitched to it on the first last. For this reason, the toe of the first last is preferably extended tocompensate for the reduction of its overall length caused by its reduced de th.

From the oregoing it will be seen that the present method consists primarily in first lasting a shoe while in temper and wrong-side-outon a first last; then turning the shoe; and then, while the shoe is still in temper, placing it on a second last and allowing. it to setto shape thereon, this second last being of a greater depth at its forward portion than the first last but preferably of the same stick measure and cross-sectional coutour as the first last, and the difference in depth of .the forward portions of the two lasts being equal'to the thickness of the sole of the shoe plus an excess that will cause the second last to fit neatly in the lining when the turned shoe is placed on said second last.

In actual practice, turn shoes with unwrinkled lingings have been manufactured under the present invention on lasts which differed in depth at their forward portions by approximately of an inch in excess of the thickness of the sole used in the shoe.

This difference in depth is stated to be approximately one-twelfth of an inch because a slight variation renders the method more practical than would be the case if the one twelfth inch excess was used in connection With all thicknesses of soles. For instance the unit of measure in determining .the thickness of sole leather is an iron and Allowing an excess of four forty-eighths of.

an inch over the thickness of the sole, the

following table shows,- in inches, the difi'er-.

ence in depth between the first and second lasts used in making shoes having soles of from 7 to 12 iron thickness:

exactly to one another. This is important for several reasons. First, the uppers of the two lasts being identically the same, the pattern for the shoe can be designed on the first last with assurance that the individual sections ofleather will occupy the same relative positions on the second last and will be sub jected to no distortion Whatever. This is true, while at the same time," the second last is larger than the first so that it will make a neatfit when inserted in the turned shoe. Again, the first last being'narrower at the bottom than the second last, due to the curvature of line a, c, b, the shoe or sole can be broken down so it can be properly stitched with a curved needle.

Referring particularly to F 7 and 8 when the shoe is on the first last,'as illustrated in Fig. 7, the distance covered bythe wrongside-out upper 11, from seam S in sole 10 around thelast to seam R, (the line S, 0, R) is less than the corresponding line on the second last. In other words, the thickness of material indicated between line 16 and the bottom of the last 15, (Fig. 2) which" is removed in making the first last is a little greater than the actual thickness of the sole to be used. The reason for this, is that, in the Thickness Thickness of sole Thickness in excess Total difference or allowof sole in inches of sole allowed for ance in depth between compensation. 1st and 2nd lasts. 7 Iron 7/48 4 48" 11/48 G 8 Iron 8/48 4 4 12/48j 2, 9 Iron 9/48 4/48 13/48" 10 Iron 10/48 4 48" 14 48" G 11 Iron 11/48 4 48" 15/48] 5%,? 12 Iron 12/48" 4/48 16/48" It will be noted that the total diiference or allowance, shown in the last column of this schedule, for a 7 iron sole in group A is 1/48" less than that for an 8 iron sole in that group and that the difference for a 9 iron sole in said group is 1/48 greater than for the 8 iron sole. Likewise, in group B, the total allowance for a 10 iron sole is 1/48 less than for'a 11 iron sole and the allowance for a 12 iron sole is 1/48 greater than for the lleiron sole. Therefore, as there is always some variation in the materials used, it is not necessary to make an accurate ex cess allowance of 4/48 in each instance, but for all practical purposes a total difference or allowance of 12/48 may be used for 7, 8 and 9.iron soles in group A and 15/48" for 10, 11 and 12 iron soles in group B.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 8 it will be noted that by producing the two lasts in the manner described, the bottom of the first last denoted by line a, b, is narrower than the bottom of the second last denoted by line A, B. However, the lines of the two lasts from a to Z), denoted by a. c, b, are identically the same, the contour of the two lasts throughout their upper portions above line a, b, conforming present new improved method of making turned shoes, the upper and sole are in moist temper and by having a shade difference in the two measurements just mentioned, the second last fits very tightly but neatly in the turned shoe, and the upper material and sole being in temper will shrink, thereby securing a very tight lasting result. This adjustment can be varied according to how loose or how tight it is desirable to last the shoe. As just described, this adjustment on the first last does not compensate exactly for the thickness of the sole 10, but said last has a slight excess of material taken off its'bottom, so to speak, as compared with the thickness of the sole. However. in making the adjustment, addition for the heel portion, the combined thicknesses of the materials used in the heel of the shoe, such as the counter, tuck, shank, etc. is duplicated as accurately as possible. In this, attention is called to Fig. 5, showing the second last 13, inserted in the turned shoe. Because of the adjustment made on'the first last in relation to the second last, the upper fits the first last when wrong-side-out. Then,

when the shoe is turned and the second last hot iron after second lasting.

Again, because of 'the adjustment which has taken place between the first and second last above described, less upper material is necessary to maketurn shoes by this process than those in effect up to the present time.

-- The difference in amount of material for one shoeis' 'not, of course, so very great, but on an annual production basis the saving is considerable.

Anotherfeature which is believed to differentiate' the present process from known I prior processes, is that the actual shapingof the'shoe is as much a part of the first lasting step as the second. The two lasts being the same, so far as the shape of the upper part of the lasts is concerned. The present process. through adjustment of the first last in relation to the second last, provides a method of taking care of actually what happens when the upper is lastedwrong-side-out attached to the sole, then turned. additional material added tothe inside of the shoe and the shoe re-lasteth- The upper, by means of the 'adjustment above described, is inthe same relative position wrong-side-out with the first last inside of it as it is when the upper is r L ht-side-out and the second last is inside Because of the adjustment above described, there is no distortion of the upper and there is no folded or surplus lining on the inside of the shoe after the upper has been turned and the second last inserted. Therefore, when the shoe is worn there is no surplus lining to give up to the upper, and the shoe holds its shape after the shoe is Worn, whereas, in the prior methods the shoe gods out of shape soon after being worn because the upper is loo e and distorted.

This application is a continuation'ofapnlicants copending application, Serial No. 366.639, so far as any subject matter common to he two cases is concerned.

What I claim is: v p

1. The method of making turn shoes which comprises. first, lasting a shoe while in temper wrong-side-out on a first last; secondly, turninn said shoe; thirdly, placing the turned shoe while still in temper on a second last of a greater deptli at its forward portion than said first last, the difference in depth of the two' lasts at their forward portions being equal to the thickness of the sole of the shoe .second last.

plus an amount to allow for'shrinkage of the upper materials on the second last;'and allowlng said shoe to set to shape on said 2. The method of makingturn shoes which comprises, first, lasting a shoe while in temper 'wrong-side-out on a'first last; secondly, turning said shoe; thirdly, placing the turned shoe while still intemper on a second last of cross sectional contour corresponding to the cross sectional contour of the first last but of a greater depth at its forward portion than said first last, the difference in depth of the two lasts at their forward portions being equal to the thickness of the sole of the shoe plus an amount to allow for shrinkage of the upper materials on the second last; and allowingsaid shoe to set to shape on said second last. I i

3. The method of making turn shoes which comprises, first, lasting a shoe while in temper wrong-side-out on a first last; secondly, turnshoe while still in temper on a second last of a greater depth at its forward portion than said first last, the depth of the' rear portions of said lasts differing from one another by an amount equal to the difference between the thickness of the sole of the shoe and the thickness of the lining, upper, tuck, counter and shank used in the heel portion of the finished sh0e, and the difference in depth of the two lasts at their forward portions being equal to'the thickness of the sole of the shoe plus an amount to allow for shrinkage of the upper materials on the second lastand aling said shoe; thirdly, placing the turned v lowing said shoe-to set to shape on said second last.

4. The method of making turn shoes which comprises, first, lasting a shoe while in temper wrong-side-out on a first last; secondly, turning said shoe; thirdly, placing the turned.

shoe while still in temper on a second last of greater depth at its forward portion than said first last, the rear portion of said last being substantially the same, and the two lasts corresponding to one another in cross the two lasts at their forward portions being equal to the thickness of the sole of the shoe plus an amountto allow for shrinkage of the upper materials on the second last; and altheir forward portions being equal to the sectional contour, the difference in depth of thickness of the sole of the shoe plus an amount to allow for shrinkage of the upper materials on the second last; and allowing said shoe to set to shape on said second last.

6. The method of making turn shoes which comprises first lasting a shoe while in temper wrong-side-out on a first last; secondly, turning said shoe; thirdly, placing the turned shoe while still in temper on a second lastof substantially the same depth at its rear portion as the first last but of a greater depth at its forward portion than said first 1ast,- said two lasts being of approximately the same -stickmeasu're, and the difference in depth of the two lasts at their forward portions being equal to the thickness of the sole of the shoe plus an amount to allow for shrinkage of the upper materials on the second last; and al- "lowing said shoe to set to shape on said second last.

HENRY G. LUMBARD. 

